What plants are toxic to cats?

Don't let kitty's curiosity get the best of her when she munches on your greenery.

Cat-proofing your home can be a challenge, especially when frisky felines get access to every nook and cranny of the house. Start by limiting access to stringy items such as dental floss, shoelaces or yarn that can get caught in a cat’s intestinal system. It also pays to remove toxic items from your home, particularly plants. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals operates a poison control hotline (1-888-426-4435) that handles more than 160,000 calls each year for accidental poisoning. Many of the calls involve consuming potentially toxic plants. According to the ASPCA, these are the most toxic plants to cats. (You can find a full list with photos at ASPCA.org).

Daylilies (Hemerocallis): True to the name, these lovely plants bloom for only one day. While dayliliesdiffer from members of the Lilium family, they still pose a health risk. Ingesting any part of the plant can cause kidney failure.

Sago palm: This striking, cold-hardy plant features long feathery leaves that contain a toxin called cycasin, which causes liver damage.

Desert rose: Native to tropical regions of Africa and Arabia, these succulents make great houseplants in the United States. But they contain toxic chemicals called glycosides that can affect a cat’s heart rate and cause vomiting.

Corn plants:Dracaena can tolerate extreme weather conditions, making them a popular indoors and outdoors. If your cat likes chomping on plants, this one goes on the “do not purchase” list. Corn plants contain toxic compounds called saponins that can cause dilated pupils, excessive salivation and vomiting.

Bulb plants: Daffodils and tulips add a pop of color to any landscape. Keep cats away during planting season because bulbs of these plants present the biggest threat. Toxins such as lycorine in daffodils and tulipalin A and B in tulips can cause convulsions, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Azaleas: With more than 250 species in the United States, azaleas can flourish from California to Georgia. But the presence of grayantoxin can be disastrous for cats, leading to coma, cardiovascular collapse and even death.